Abstract
Our objective was to investigate the prevalence and the environmental determinants of alcohol use among students in the region of Sfax in Tunisia. We carried out a cross-sectional study among 315 middle and high school students. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to identify risky alcohol consumption, and we used the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) to assess the students’ perceptions of their parents’ parenting styles. The results show that 19.7% reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime. Among them, 21% scored as dependent alcohol users, according to the AUDIT. Those who drank alcohol at least once were more likely to have parents with a permissive parenting style (p < 0.001; Cramer’s V = 0.287), and a father (p < 0.001; Cramer’s V = 0.258), a mother (p = 0.025; Cramer’s V = 0.158), or a friend (p < 0.001; Cramer’s V = 0.341) who drinks. Students perceiving their parents’ parenting style as permissive had the highest AUDIT score (p = 0.005; partial η2 = 0.132). The authoritarian style score was significantly higher for students who were current alcohol users (p = 0.028; Cohen’s d = 0.57). Our study highlights the influence of peers, family drinking, and parenting styles on alcohol use among middle and high school students. Therefore, particular attention should be given to students that are at risk of having the abovementioned environmental determinants of alcohol use. And, prevention strategies should involve parents, as well as enhanced guidance and counseling for these students.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the regional education commissioner of Sfax 1 (Tunisia) for granting us permission to carry out this study in the schools of Sfax City. We also thank the assistance and cooperation of the directors and teachers of the schools for ensuring the smooth running of this research, and we thank all the students who participated in the study. We wish to thank Richard Fontaine, PhD, a native English speaker and a Professor at the University of Quebec in Montréal, for the proofreading.
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Charfi, N., Turki, M., Smaoui, N. et al. Alcohol Use and Associated Environmental Factors Among Middle and High School Students in Sfax (Tunisia). Int J Ment Health Addiction 18, 658–673 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-9969-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-9969-6